Xbox releases new video, music apps for Windows Phone 8

The Xbox team today unveiled Xbox Video, the only Windows Phone 8 app that lets you download movies and TV episodes right to your phone. They also released a preview version of Xbox Music that gives Xbox Music Pass subscribers access to millions of songs on their phones. Read on for descriptions and download links. There’s also more coverage of these great new apps over on Xbox Wire.

Xbox Video makes it easy to buy or rent movies and TV shows, then stream or download them directly to your phone—super handy if you want to watch on an airplane or anywhere else without a reliable network connection. Download Xbox Video

The service offers a deep catalog of movies and shows to choose from (check it out yourself by browsing the Xbox Video online store). Got a favorite TV show? The Season Pass option ensures that new episodes are automatically added to your collection as they arrive. The new app also puts Rotten Tomatoes ratings and Metacritic scores front and center, making it easier to rule out flops when deciding what to watch.

The other great thing about Xbox Video is that your collection follows you from device to device. For example, you can buy and start a movie or show on your Windows 8 tablet, and then pick up where you left off on Windows Phone, Xbox One, or Xbox 360.

Xbox today also released a preview version of Xbox Music, which lets Xbox Music Pass subscribers stream millions of songs and download favorites for offline listening. The app can also manage and play songs from your personal music library. Download Xbox Music Preview

Other highlights:

Create and manage playlists that automatically sync across PC, tablet, Xbox, and the web

See artist details with pictures, bios, album lists, and related artists

Explore top songs, featured artists, and recommended albums to easily discover new music

Use the radio feature to instantly creates playlists based on your favorite artists

The Xbox Music Preview is available in all 22 markets where Xbox Music is available today, and Xbox said the full release will roll out in 2014. Check out the official Xbox blog for more details.